


Easy Does It

by HanginWithLilJ (FlyDizzeeD)



Series: Learning to Cope [6]
Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter RPF
Genre: Cooking, Cuddling & Snuggling, Fluff, Gen, Napping, Non-Sexual Age Play, Sickfic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-17
Updated: 2018-12-17
Packaged: 2019-09-21 09:06:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,585
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17040851
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FlyDizzeeD/pseuds/HanginWithLilJ
Summary: The first time Ryan gets involved with the whole regression dynamic, it's mostly out of obligation. But a sick, needy Jeremy who just wants soup and a hug is enough to leave him utterly smitten.





	Easy Does It

**Author's Note:**

> This is set before a lot of the events in the other fics for this series, before Ryan got seriously involved with what they do. Written for a very good friend of mine.

Ryan slides his jacket off when he steps inside the house, hanging it up to dry near the door. It's raining hard outside, has been since yesterday, and he got soaked walking in from where he parked out front.

Once his jacket and shoes are off, he sniffs the air. He can smell something cooking, but he's pretty sure he's the only one home?

Curiously, he heads for the kitchen.

Oh. Yeah. Jeremy is in there. Somehow, he forgot that the younger man hadn't come to work with them today, having woken up ill. He must feel slightly better, or he's just desperate for food, as he's stationed at the stove and is too focused on whatever he's cooking to notice Ryan's presence. What Ryan takes note of next is the thumb lodged firmly in Jeremy's mouth. Not great.

He's known about the regression for a long time. Hell, he's around for plenty of it. But he's always sort of kept his distance, letting Jack and Geoff take over whenever one of the boys is in need of a cool down day. It's not that he's against it in anyway. His friends all seem much happier now. There's a bit less stress day to day, and he's immensely grateful for that. He's not really sure why he's chosen not to interact too much with any of the boys when they're small. Maybe he just thinks the others can handle it better than him. Whatever the reason, or lack thereof, he knows he can't just step away now.

"Hey, buddy. Are you supposed to be cooking when you're small?"

Jeremy whips around in surprise, relaxing only slightly when he sees who has snuck up on him. Guilt flashes across his face, knowing he's been caught. “No..."

"What are you making?"

"Um, 'mato soup." He mumbles

“And…?" A pointed glance at the second pan on the stove.

"Grill cheese."

If he’s small enough to be butchering words, he definitely doesn't need to be using the stove. He easily could burn himself (or something else). Logically, it's probably a silly precaution, but it's one of the rules they had all agreed upon for when anyone is small, and it's going to be upheld. Ryan just wishes he wasn't the one to do it.

“Can I help?” He offers, already entering the kitchen and going for the stove.

“Yeah.”

With permission granted, Ryan gets a closer look at the soup and sandwich. Nothing seems destroyed yet, which is likely due to a nervous Jeremy having barely turned the burners up. He twists the dials a bit more to get things going.

“Can you grab a bowl and a spoon? You have the set with the puppies, right?”

“Paw Patrol.”

“There it is. Can you get those, please?” He asks, not looking at the shorter man just behind him, busy flipping the sandwich.

He doesn't get a verbal response, but he can hear Jeremy moving around behind him. There's a plastic bowl with a little police dog on it set on the counter next to him a few moments later, followed by a matching blue spoon. The soup is warm, but decidedly not hot, as he uses the ladle to fill the bowl up a little over halfway. He can feel that he's being stared at, and it's confirmed when he turns around, almost bumping right into Jeremy.

The boy apologizes and backs away some, eyes now glued on the food.

Ryan carries the bowl over and sets it on the dining room table along with the spoon. He walks back to the stove, turns off the burners, and returns with the sandwich wrapped in a napkin, setting it next to the soup.

“Come eat, Jer.”

And he watches as Jeremy scrambles to do so, hurrying over and eagerly plopping himself down on the chair. It makes him smile at the boy's enthusiasm, even when obviously feeling under the weather. Once the boy is settled at the table, he sits down as well. He pulls his phone out of his pocket. God damn emails. He starts scrolling and reading, getting a bit lost in it.

That is, until a hand tugs at his sleeve.

He looks over and meets Jeremy's expert puppy dog eyes. His sniffling and obvious sleepiness make him even more pitiful, and in turn even more convincing.

“Juice?”

“Sure, buddy. What kind do you want?” He doesn't even know what kind they have.

“Purple, please.” Apparently they have grape juice.

“Coming right up.”

Jeremy's smile makes his pulse jump a bit, and his sweet little “thank you” is just unfair.

Standing up, Ryan stretches a bit before walking over to where they keep the cups. He opens the cabinet and eyes the options. Glass is an instant no. Mugs are also a no. Plastic cup? Maybe. He pushes things around until he finds what he's actually looking for, and what he's sure Jeremy wants.

A purple sippy cup, clean and ready for use.

He grabs the cup and closes the cabinet. It doesn't take him long to find the grape juice, which they’re going to need more of soon. He fills the cup, figuring the boy probably doesn't need or care about ice.

Sure enough, Jeremy's eyes light up when he sees the cup. He eagerly reaches for it, but his grasp is gentle when he takes it from Ryan. He doesn't snatch. Jeremy thanks him again and sips his drink in between bites of grilled cheese and spoonfuls of soup.

Ryan tries to get back to what he was doing, but he keeps getting distracted just watching him. The younger man is managing to keep the food off of his clothes, but his face and hands are a lost cause. How the hell does he get tomato in so many places? Plus, he keeps almost falling asleep while eating, the sickness evidently tiring him out. Ryan intervenes after one particularly close call, the lad's face coming mere inches away from the soup before he bolts upright again in an attempt to stay awake.

“I think it's nap time.” Says Ryan. He stands up and takes the bowl away from Jeremy, who's too busy yawning to complain. He sets it in the sink to deal with later. Priorities.

“Not tired.” Jeremy insists, weakly and with a loud sniffle on the end. Chuckling, Ryan grabs a hand towel off the counter, runs it under the sink for a moment, and moves to clean the boy's face and hands. Too tired to fight it, Jeremy just whines as he's wiped clean of tomato soup. He steps away once he's finished cleaning his annoyed friend.

“Come on, up and at ‘em.”

More whining. Followed by grabby hands.

“Don't wanna walk.”

Of course. Ryan sighs. He's been a real trooper, right? Fed him, got him a drink, even cleaned him off. But carrying? He's been out of his depth this whole time, but this is a bit much.

“Sorry pal, no napping in the kitchen today.” He tries.

Jeremy looks entirely unimpressed. Then he starts looking nervous. Shit.

Before he can stop himself, Ryan is picking him up. They're roughly an even match in weight, and he's suddenly intensely glad he's returned to somewhat regular exercise. Otherwise, this would really suck. The other man holds onto him tightly.

“Alright, let's go.” Ryan says with a sigh, carrying him out of the kitchen. The couch is good enough, right? He sits down on the large couch, which lands Jeremy in his lap. The lad seems entirely fine with this, but huffs a bit at the jostling when Ryan shifts them around so he's laying on the couch with Jeremy on top of him. Once they're settled again, though, he seems even happier about their new position. He fists a hand in Ryan's shirt, relaxing.

There's a blanket thrown across the back of the couch that Ryan pulls down to cover them both. It's cozy.

“Ryan.”

“Jeremy.”

“You're my favorite.”

Oh.

“Why's that?”

Jeremy shrugs. “Dunno. Just like you best. Jack is good, too. He cuts the sandwiches in shapes. And Geoff likes to hug me all the time. And you're Ryan.”

He laughs lightly. “The one and only.”

“You can be around now. I'll show you my drawings.” A cough. “We can draw new stuff, too.”

“That sounds fun. But how about we just nap for now? Old man Ryan needs his rest.”

The dig at himself is more than worth hearing Jeremy's delighted little laugh. It's not wrong, either. He's tired, and a nap actually sounds awesome. He wraps his arms around the boy on his chest, squeezing him tight.

“'kay, Ryan.” Jeremy agrees. “Nap. And then we color.”

“Then we color.”

He's pretty sure Jeremy goes limp before he's finished with his sentence. Unsurprising, given his state. Ryan figures he's lucky enough that he's definitely gonna catch whatever Jeremy has given all the cuddling, but it's worth it as he watches him doze off.

Not long after, Ryan joins him.

\---

“Oh my god.”

The whisper-shouting is enough to wake him, especially when whoever is doing it sucks at it. Ryan has to blink a few times before he can make sense of what's around him. Weight on his chest. Jeremy. Nap. Right.

And Geoff. New. Great.

“Hey Geoff--”

“Shut up and hold still. I need more pictures.” He says, which makes Ryan aware of the phone camera pointed at him. He rolls his eyes.

“You're ridiculous.”

“Jack's gonna love this.”


End file.
